With 10 weeks to go until the 2023 season ends and free agency begins, Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani entered a doubleheader Wednesday against the Reds as the most highly sought after player in MLB history. He sustained a UCL injury on the mound in the top of the second inning, casting doubt on what once seemed to be a certain future.

The Angels announced the injury shortly after the doubleheader, and though it is still unknown if Ohtani requires surgery, he will not pitch again this season. The star two-way player underwent Tommy John surgery in 2018. He will continue to contribute for Los Angeles as a designated hitter and outfielder as the team continues to fight an uphill battle to the playoffs.

Ohtani’s injury does not only derail his own future, but also that of the sport itself. For the better part of three seasons, he has competed at the highest levels of baseball as both a pitcher and hitter, something no one has ever done in the modern era. If not for Aaron Judge’s record-breaking 62-home run season in 2022, it’s likely that Ohtani would have won back-to-back AL MVP awards with another on the way in 2023.

Entering the last year of his contract with the Angels, free agency talks around the star began last offseason and have only intensified since. At first, insiders claimed that he would get at least $500 million. Ohtani led Japan to a win in the World Baseball Classic and began the MLB season with an ERA below 2.50. The prospective number rose to $600 million.

By the end of July, a month in which he hit 15 home runs and catapulted Los Angeles back into the playoff race, it was widely accepted that the winning team in free agency would need $700 million to secure the most versatile player in the history of the sport. But that versatility is now being called into question, and with a single setback, it’s likely that hundreds of millions of dollars just evaporated in an instant.

Even if Ohtani never pitches again, he will still likely demand a massive contract as one of MLB’s best sluggers. But with an arm injury lingering into the offseason, he may have to make a difficult decision between surgery and giving up pitching for good. The latter option is one many speculated he would have to make at some point anyway, but it could not have come at a worse time. Teams will now be more inclined to pay for his bat alone.

As Ohtani’s final contracted season with the Angels winds down, the team is 10.5 games out of the final Wild Card spot. It would have been nearly impossible for him to push the team into the postseason anyway, but his final month with the team will be quieter than it could have been. Baseball fans around the country, many of whom have been transfixed by Ohtani’s phenomenal ability, will likely grow quieter too. For now, and perhaps for the foreseeable future, the greatest show on the diamond is over.

A number of NFL teams are reportedly interested in signing free agent Ezekiel Eliott for the 2023 season. Elliott was released by the Dallas Cowboys Wednesday, but the star running back’s next team could be quick to take him off the market.

Of all the teams that could potentially benefit from signing Elliott, the Los Angeles Chargers and Buffalo Bills have been pegged as the likeliest suitors. The Chargers will likely be in the market for a running back very soon, as star Austin Ekeler has requested a trade and would leave a gaping hole in the team’s offense. Elliott offers a very different skillset to Ekeler’s but has also worked well with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore in the past.

The Bills are another obvious candidate as the team looks for some way to overcome perennially stiff competition in the AFC this season. Josh Allen has proved to be a revelation for the team’s passing game and the defense is highly reputable, but running backs Devin Singletary and James Cook were somewhat underwhelming. Elliott could provide experience to Buffalo’s backfield and give the team another dimension on offense.

While Los Angeles and Buffalo are most likely to sit down with Elliott, there will certainly be other teams inquiring about the former Dallas power runner. The Kansas City Chiefs have taken chances on players like Elliott in the past and always seem to have cap space despite a prolifically talented offense. The Baltimore Ravens could also prove to be a fortuitous landing spot as well, though the team will likely have to sort out negotiations with Lamar Jackson before it can consider other major contracts.

The market for running backs is fairly small this offseason as most teams are either satisfied with their current system or would rather spend less on younger talent, as the Buccaneers did when they signed Chase Edmonds to a one-year deal Thursday. Elliott’s status next season also depends on how much he asks for, as his best seasons are behind him and a short-term deal would likely suit most teams best. For the right price, however, he could make a difference for a team in need of his services.

On the eve of free agency, Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant has formally requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets. The 34-year-old reportedly is working with Nets GM Sean Marks and manager Rich Kleiman in finding a trade partner.

Durant currently has four years left on his contract, which could prove very interesting for any trade partner. It reported that the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat are desired landing spots for the star, however, the Nets front office is looking to maximize the assets they can get in a trade due to Durant’s status and contract.

This comes less than a week after Kyrie Irving decided to opt into the final year of his contract after reports that he and the Nets were at an “impasse” regarding negotiations. Reportedly, Irving’s leverage in negotiations was that his departure from the team meant Durant’s eventual departure. Durant and Irving had no contact with the franchise following Irving’s decision. Durant reportedly made the trade request directly to team owner Joe Tsai today.

According to sources, due to having one of the most valuable trade assets in recent memory, the Nets have made any player on their roster available to be discussed in trade deals, expecting a massive haul in assets and draft picks.

Durant joined the Nets in tandem with Irving during the 2019 offseason. Durant was recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, which he suffered in that year’s NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. In the two seasons, he’s played with the Nets, he’s averaged 28.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists while putting up .52/.41//90 splits. Durant also garnered MVP votes in 2020-21 in his first season back from injury.

In Durant’s time in Brooklyn, the team never advanced past the second round of the playoffs, losing to the eventual NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks in seven games in 2021 and being swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round in 2022.

There is no word on if Irving has requested a trade.

On Wednesday evening, Marcus Stroman broke the news himself via Twitter that he signed a three-year, $71 million deal with the Chicago Cubs. Stroman, 30, will make $25 million in 2022, $25 million in 2023 and $21 million in 2024. The deal also included $2 million escalators for 160 innings pitched in 2022 and 2023 and an opt-out after the 2023 season.

During the 2021 season with the New York Mets, Marcus Stroman posted a 3.02 ERA across 179 innings and 33 starts. Throughout his career with both the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Mets, Stroman accumulated a career 3.63 ERA. In 2017, Stroman won a Gold Glove in 2017 and was an All-Star in 2019.

Stroman was one of the top starters available in free agency this past winter. However, the market picked up this past week ahead of baseball’s work stoppage, which will freeze all things baseball until further notice. As a result, many pitchers flew off the free-agent market, especially starters.

In addition to Stroman, Robbie Ray, Kevin Gausman, southpaw Steven Matz, superstar Max Scherzer and Jon Gray are among the starting pitchers that reached deals before the lockout began.

Stroman will be joining a Chicago Cubs team that, back in July, seemed to have been heading towards a rebuild. After trading their superstars Javier Baez, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo, it was hard to see the Cubs going in any other direction. However, the moves they have made so far this winter, including the signings of Marcus Stroman and the addition of starter Wade Miley off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds, have proven otherwise.

Both Stroman and Miley help the north side of Chicago address their most significant offseason need: starting pitching. These moves and the signings of outfielder Clint Frazier and veteran catcher Yan Gomes give off the sense that the Chicago Cubs are looking to be a competitive ball club in 2022.

The Golden State Warriors are signing Otto Porter Jr. to a one-year minimum contract.

With big money already in the pockets of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins, the Warriors are hoping Porter can be a cost-efficient member of Steve Kerr’s rotation while reestablishing a stock that’s taken a dip in the last several years.

Porter has appeared in just 42 games over the last two seasons primarily due to injuries, splitting time with the Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic. But the former No. 3 overall pick is in his prime at 28 years old and sports a career 40.2 3-point percentage.

His 6’8’’ frame and 7’1’’ wingspan should also add to what was already a top-five defense a season ago.

In his last healthy season (2018-19), Porter averaged 13.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game while shooting north of 40 percent from three.

The New York Giants have signed arguably one of their biggest free-agent signings this offseason. The Giants have brought in Pro Bowl wide receiver Kenny Golladay to the team. The Giants signed Golladay on a four-year, $72 million contract that includes $40 million guaranteed.

The addition of the wide receiver is good news for the Giants who get a valuable playmaker and finally fill the hole that was left after the Odell Beckham Jr. trade. Golladay is a player that can make plays whether he is covered or not. He has consistently ranked high in the contested catch category throughout his career. Since 2018, the wideout has a 63% contested catch rate and a total of 53 contested catches.

Golladay’s best season was in 2019 with the Detroit Lions when he had 1,190 receiving yards, 11 touchdowns and 65 receptions, which earned him his first Pro Bowl selection. In 2020, the wideout only played in five games due to injury.

Golladay will help young starting quarterback Daniel Jones who needed good wide receivers to help on the offense side. Jones has been cursed with receivers who have dropped many of his perfect passes. Some of those passes even went of his receiver’s hands and into the hands of the defender. That won’t happen with Golladay. The signing bolsters the team’s deep passing game.

Not only that but it frees up other wide receivers. It frees up fellow teammate Darius Slayton, who was often double covered last season. Slayton excels when there is only one defender on him. Furthermore, the signing allows Sterling Shepard into the slot where he has been good. As a rookie, Shepard was used in the slot where he was able to catch eight touchdowns and had a 63.6 % contested catch rate. That is like the newly signed Pro Bowler, so the Giants’ offense has no excuses next season. They should look very good in 2021.

In a shocking turn of events, wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster will stay with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year deal.

Earlier in the offseason, it was hinted by Smith-Schuster himself that he would not return to the Steelers. So, it had been widely expected that he would join other teams such as the New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, or even the Kansas City Chiefs. However, Smith-Schuster surprised everyone by returning to the Steelers.

The wideout broke the news with a series of tweets expressing his love for Pittsburgh. “This is my home, they’re gonna need a wrecking ball to take me outta here!,” he wrote. The Pro Bowler would write more tweets expressing his excitement. “Came in here a young 20-year-old, and you guys embraced me from the moment I got here so much love.”

Smith-Schuster signed a one-year deal worth eight million. This contract was less than what other teams had offered him. The Ravens offered the receiver a nine million with four million in incentives. Like the Ravens’ offer, the Chiefs offered eight million with three million in incentives. However, Smith-Schuster clearly values his home more than money.

Retaining the Pro Bowler does not come without consequences for the Steelers. As a result, the team has less than four million in cap space. To free up more cap space, the team has granted permission for starting cornerback Steve Nelson to seek a trade. Doing so will free the team up to eight million in cap space. On a positive note, the team now has more time to negotiate a long-term deal with Smith-Schuster.

Smith-Schuster was drafted by the Steelers and grew into both a star and fan favorite. Last season, the receiver recorded 831 receiving yards, nine receiving touchdowns and 97 receptions.

The first 24-48 hours of the new-league year in the NFL features tons of huge moves by a variety of franchises every year. The 2021 offseason is no different. The Jets have surprisingly had perhaps the the most productive offseason in the league thus far, while the Patriots have gone on a huge spending spree. The Cardinals also made a lot of noise by signing two very high-profile superstars.

Although free agency is far from over and can continue far into the Summer, let’s take a look at who each franchise has signed after the first couple days of the new-league year.

Arizona Cardinals

• Re-signed OLB Markus Golden
• Re-signed OT Kelvin Beachum
• Signed Texans DE J.J. Watt
• Signed Bengals WR A.J. Green
• Signed Lions K Matt Prater
• Traded for Raiders C Rodney Hudson

Atlanta Falcons

• Signed Raiders S Erik Harris
• Traded for Bills TE Lee Smith

Baltimore Ravens

• Signed OG Kevin Zeitler
• Re-signed Tyus Bowser
• Re-signed OLB Pernell McPhee
• Re-signed Derek Wolfe

Buffalo Bills

• Signed Saints WR Emmanuel Sanders
• Signed Dolphins P Matt Haack
• Signed Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky
• Re-signed MLB Matt Milano
• Re-signed OT Daryl Williams
• Re-signed OG Jon Feliciano

Carolina Panthers

• Franchise tagged OT Taylor Moton
• Signed Jets OG Pat Elflein
• Signed Chargers LB Denzel Perryman
• Signed Cardinals EDGE Hasson Reddick
• Signed Cowboys OT Cameron Erving
• Signed Seahawks WR David Moore

Chicago Bears

• Franchise tagged WR Allen Robinson
• Re-signed DE Mario Edwards
• Re-signed S Deon Bush
• Signed Cowboys QB Andy Dalton
• Signed Cardinals DE Angelo Blackson

Cincinnati Bengals

• Signed Saints DE Trey Hendrickson
• Signed Cowboys CB Chidobe Awuzie
• Signed Steelers CB Mike Hilton
• Signed Browns DT Larry Ogunjobi
• Re-signed RB Samaje Perine

Cleveland Browns

• Signed Rams S John Johnson
• Signed Raiders DE Takkarist McKinley
• Signed Rams CB Troy Hill
• Re-signed WR Rashard Higgins
• Re-signed OLB Malcolm Smith

Dallas Cowboys

• Re-signed CB C.J. Goodwin
• Re-signed CB Jourdan Lewis
• Signed Bills OT Ty Nsekhe
• Signed Jets OLB Tarell Basham
• Signed Texans DE Carlos Watkins
• Signed Bears DE Brent Urban

Denver Broncos

• Franchise tagged S Justin Simmons
• Exercised 2021 option for OLB Von Miller
• Signed Washington CB Ronald Darby
• Signed Vikings RB Mike Boone
• Re-signed DE Shelby Harris

Detroit Lions

• Re-signed DE Romeo Okwara
• Signed Packers RB Jamaal Williams
• Signed Raiders WR Tyrell Williams
• Signed Jets WR Breshad Perriman
• Signed Packers QB Tim Boyle
• Signed Saints TE Josh Hill

Green Bay Packers

• Re-signed RB Aaron Jones

Houston Texans

• Acquired Patriots OT Marcus Cannon
• Acquired Dolphins OLB Shaq Lawson for ILB Benardrick McKinney
• Signed Ravens RB Mark Ingram
• Signed Dolphins LB Kamu Grungier-Hill
• Signed Packers LB Christian Kirksey
• Signed Bills WR Andre Roberts
• Signed Raiders DT Maliek Collins
• Signed Washington OLB Kevin Pierre-Louis
• Signed Browns CB Tavierre Thomas
• Signed Chargers QB Tyrod Taylor
• Signed Browns CB Terrance Mitchell
• Signed Falcons OG Justin McCray
• Signed Titans CB Desmond King
• Signed Rams OLB Derek Rivers
• Signed Ravens WR Chris Moore
• Signed Patriots S Terrence Brooks
• Signed Browns DT Vincent Taylor
• Signed Cowboys ILB Joe Thomas
• Signed Browns LB Tae Davis
• Signed Colts CB Tremon Smith
• Re-signed CB Vernon Hargreaves III
• Re-signed TE Pharaoh Brown

Indianapolis Colts

• Traded for Eagles QB Carson Wentz
• Re-signed RB Marlon Mack

Jacksonville Jaguars

• Franchise tagged OT Cam Robinson
• Re-signed DE Dawuane Smoot
• Re-signed CB Sidney Jones
• Re-signed TE James O’Shaughnessy
• Signed Seahawks CB Shaquil Griffin
• Signed Chargers S Rayshawn Jenkins
• Signed Bears DT Roy Robertson-Harris
• Signed Seahawks RB Carlos Hyde
• Signed Steelers DE Tyson Alualu
• Signed Lions WR Jamal Agnew
• Signed Lions WR Marvin Jones
• Signed Panthers TE Chris Manhertz
• Signed Seahawks RB Carlos Hyde
• Signed Eagles S Johnathon Ford
• Signed Ravens DE Jihad Ward
• Signed Seahawks WR Phillip Dorsett
• Traded for Saints DT Malcolm Brown

Kansas City Chiefs

• Signed Patriots OG Joe Thuney
• Signed OT Kyle Long
• Signed Cowboys TE Blake Bell
• Re-signed DE Taco Charlton
• Re-signed OT Mike Remmers

Las Vegas Raiders

• Signed Ravens DE Yannick Ngakoue
• Signed Bills WR John Brown
• Signed Cardinals RB Kenyan Drake
• Signed 49ers DE Solomon Thomas
• Signed Bills DT Quinton Jefferson
• Signed Texans C Nick Martin
• Re-signed DT Johnathan Hankins
• Re-signed OG Richie Incognito
• Re-signed RB Theo Riddick
• Re-signed TE Derek Carrier
• Re-signed WR Zay Jones

Los Angeles Chargers

• Signed Packers C Corey Linsley
• Signed Steelers OT Matt Feller
• Signed Saints TE Jared Cook
• Re-signed CB Michael Davis
• Re-signed K Michael Badgley

Los Angeles Rams

• Re-signed OLB Leonard Floyd

Miami Dolphins

• Acquired Titans OT Isaiah Wilson
• Acquired LB Bernardrick McKinney for DE Shaq Lawson
• Signed Texans WR Will Fuller
• Signed Bengals TE Cethan Carter
• Signed Patriots DT Adam Butler
• Signed Colts QB Jacoby Brissett
• Signed Lions CB Justin Coleman
• Signed Ravens C Matt Skura
• Signed Panthers P Michael Palardy
• Signed Washington WR Robert Foster
• Re-signed OLB Vince Biegel

Minnesota Vikings

• Signed Giants DT Dalvin Tomlinson
• Signed Chargers LB Nick Vigil
• Signed Cardinals CB Patrick Peterson
• Signed Panthers DE Stephen Weatherly
• Re-signed WR Chad Bebe

New England Patriots

• Signed Titans TE Jonnu Smith
• Signed Chargers TE Hunter Henry
• Signed Ravens OLB Matt Judon
• Signed Eagles S Jalen Mills
• Signed Raiders WR Nelson Agholor
• Signed 49ers WR Kendrick Bourne
• Signed Dolphins DT Davon Godchaux
• Signed Jets DE Henry Anderson
• Signed Dolphins ILB Kyle Van Noy
• Signed Dolphins C Ted Karras
• Signed Packers DE Montravius Adams
• Acquired Raiders OT Trent Brown
• Re-signed DE Deatrich Wise Jr.
• Re-signed S Cody Davis
• Re-signed CB Justin Bethel
• Re-signed K Nick Folk
• Re-signed C David Andrews

New Orleans Saints

• Franchise tagged S Marcus Williams
• Re-signed QB Jameis Winston
• Re-signed OL James Hurst
• Re-signed CB P.J. Williams
• Signed Panthers FB Alex Armah

New York Giants

• Re-signed DE Leonard Williams
• Signed Raiders RB Devontae Booker
• Signed Bengals WR John Ross
• Signed Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph
• Signed Vikings DE Ifeadi Odenigbo
• Signed Jaguars QB Mike Glennon
• Signed Lions ILB Reggie Ragland
• Signed Texans FB Cullen Gillaspia

New York Jets

• Franchise tagged S Marcus Maye
• Signed Titans WR Corey Davis
• Signed Bengals DE Carl Lawson
• Signed Lions LB Jarrad Davis
• Signed Saints CB Justin Hardee
• Signed Jaguars WR Keelan Cole
• Signed Raiders S LaMarcus Joyner
• Signed Chargers OG Dan Feeney

Philadelphia Eagles

• Traded Carson Wentz to Colts for draft picks
• Re-signed DT Hassan Ridgeway
• Signed Buccaneers S Andrew Adams

Pittsburgh Steelers

• Re-signed CB Cameron Sutton
• Re-signed OT Zach Banner
• Re-signed DT Chris Wormley
• Re-signed WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
• Signed Bengals C B.J. Finney

San Francisco 49ers

• Re-signed FB Kyle Juszczyk
• Re-signed CB Emmanuel Moseley
• Re-signed CB Jason Verrett
• Re-signed OT Trent Williams
• Re-signed DT D.J. Jones
• Signed Falcons C Alex Mack
• Signed Rams DE Samson Ebukam

Seattle Seahawks

• Re-signed FB Nick Bellore
• Re-signed OG Ethan Pocic
• Signed Rams TE Gerald Everett
• Signed 49ers CB Ahkello Witherspoon

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Franchise tagged WR Chris Godwin
• Re-signed OLB Shaquil Barrett
• Re-signed LB Lavonte David
• Re-signed TE Rob Gronkowski
• Re-signed K Ryan Succop
• Re-signed DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches

Tennessee Titans

• Signed Steelers OLB Bud Dupree
• Signed Colts DE Denico Autry
• Signed Texans OT Kendall Lamm
• Signed Saints CB Janoris Jenkins
• Signed Browns CB Kevin Johnson
• Signed Browns LS Morgan Cox
• Re-signed OT Ty Sambrailo

Washington Football Team

• Franchise tagged OG Brandon Scherff
• Re-signed K Dustin Hopkins
• Re-signed CB Danny Johnson
• Re-signed OT David Sharpe
• Re-signed RB Lamar Miller
• Signed Dolphins QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
• Signed Bengals CB William Jackson
• Signed Panthers WR Curtis Samuel
• Signed Panthers C Tyler Larsen
• Signed Giants ILB David Mayo

On Monday, Richard Sherman says that he intends to follow through on his plan to play in the NFL until he is 35.

Sherman, who will be 33 in March, is set to become an unrestricted free agent believes his next NFL stop will be where he ends his career.

“I only want to play two more [seasons],” Sherman told Stephen Smith of ESPN. “I want to get on a competitive team. I think I still have a lot to give to the game. I think I still have a lot that I want to accomplish and I think I can go out there and help a defense come together like it should and reach their potential, reaches the heights that the defenses that I’ve played on have reached.”

When the new NFL league year opens this March 17, Sherman will make his second appearance into unrestricted free agency, but the first time following the expiration of his contract.

In 2018, Sherman signed with the 49ers after the Seattle Seahawks released him after his seven-year tenure with them.

In December, Sherman stated that it would take a “miracle” for him to return to the 49ers given their many free agents and lack of salary-cap space to retain them. When speaking with Smith, Sherman named the Las Vegas Raiders as a potential destination. There is also the New York Jets, who recently hired former Niners defensive coordinator as their head coach.

Regardless of where Sherman ends up, he seems set on finishing his career where and when he wants to.

“After two years, I think I’m going to shut it down, regardless, because I’m sure I’ll still get calls, I’m sure people still want to see if I have interest,” Sherman said. “I think two more years and I’ll be content where I’m at.”

Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes will decline his $25.1 million player option and become an unrestricted free agent, Barnes’ agent Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports, told ESPN earlier today.

This move comes as a little bit of a surprise, mostly considering that it seems rather unlikely Barnes would command a salary close to $25 million on the open market. The best guess for this move might be that Barnes values signing a multi-year contract over short-term dollar value.

Even with small forward being one of the most coveted positions for teams to acquire long-term talent across the NBA, Barnes averaged just 16.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game on 42% shooting between his time with the Kings and the Dallas Mavericks last season. Barnes Player Efficiency Rating of 12.81 does not particularly excite teams either, ranking outside the top 150 among all players. Barnes shooting did improve after being traded to the Kings, shooting 45.5% on field goals including 40.8% from three-point range in 28 games, but it is still skeptical to believe a team would offer Barnes more than $15 million per season.

The former 7th overall pick of the 2012 NBA Draft out of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill is reportedly open to re-signing with the Kings on a multi-year contract.  Both the Kings and Barnes enjoyed a successful partnership last season as the 27-year-old showed some flashes of the consistency he displayed on offense when Barnes used to play for the Golden State Warriors. Sacramento hopes to lock down the veteran wing to a multi-year contract so that Barnes can be a veteran scorer/leader in the young Kings locker room that features players like De’Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley III, Buddy Hield, and Bogdan Bogdanovic among others.

The Kings might also benefit if Barnes sign elsewhere as it would give the Kings a total of $60 million in cap space to spend on extensions and potentially some free agents this summer to further along with their roster from a fringe playoff team to a contender in the wide-open Western Conference.

https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1141049097731919873

A week ago, it seemed as if Kawhi Leonard‘s tenure with the San Antonio Spurs was all but guaranteed to come to an end. The star forward expressed displeasure with the organization due primarily to how they handled his quad injury throughout all of last season and indicated that he wanted to be traded, which we know had to be a huge deal considering how laid back and soft spoken Leonard has shown himself to be since his rise to NBA stardom.

However, the Spurs organization has indicated that they plan on keeping Leonard on their team for the time being, but remain open to trade talks with other teams, according to a statement made by team general manager RC Buford. Buford indicated that, although the team wants Leonard to stay in San Antonio, they “will explore all of our options.”

The Spurs have said that they plan on working with him to make sure both he and the team can work out something on which they can both agree. Buford said on Thursday, “Kawhi and his family mean a lot to our organization and to the community. While none of us would wish we are where we are, we’re going to do what we can to build the best relationship we can with him, and we’ll explore all of our options. But the first one would be to do what we can to keep Kawhi as a part of our group.”

Leonard informed sources that he would optimally like to join the Lakers, whether it be through a trade or a free agent signing when his contract with the Spurs expires in 2019. On Tuesday, he met with Spurs coach Gregg Popovich when Pop made his way to Southern California to meet with his franchise player. While the conversation allegedly went well, Leonard expressed reluctance to meet with his coach under these circumstances.

Nonetheless, the Spurs have indicated that they will talk to other teams so long as they present them with an offer. If Leonard remains staunch on his desire to leave San Antonio following the end of his contract after next season, San Antonio would likely find themselves making a trade deal. For a player of Leonard’s All-NBA caliber, they would likely be able to get something really solid in return. If they don’t trade Leonard and he leaves in free agency, they would get nothing. This story is sure to develop as the summer continues, and we’ll see just how much all of the involved parties’ attitudes change moving forward.

The Ottawa Senators on Tuesday traded winger Mike Hoffman to the San Jose Sharks, who then sent him to the Florida Panthers.

Senators’ Mike Hoffman Traded To Panthers

The move comes almost a week after allegations of cyber-bullying were made against Hoffman’s fianceé Monika Caryk. On May 4, Melinda Karlsson — the wife of Senators captain Erik Karlsson — reportedly filed a protection order against Caryk, claiming Hoffman’s fianceé had harassed her online.

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Melinda Karlsson accused Caryk of making “numerous statements wishing my unborn child dead” in a series of tweets and other social media posts, according to The Ottawa Citizen. 

Karlsson and her husband had a son named Axel in March but he was stillborn, and Melinda reportedly received several offensive messages online after that.

Melinda Karlsson also claimed Caryk used a pseudonym to post the hurtful comments and that she “uttered that she wished I was dead and that someone should ‘take out’ my husband’s legs to end his career.”

According to the Citizen, Hoffman denied the allegations against his fianceé. The Senators, meanwhile, issued a statement saying they would investigate the matter in coordination with the NHL.

Ottawa traded Hoffman to the Sharks for Mikkel Boedker as part of a deal that also saw defenseman Cody Donaghey and a fifth-round 2020 draft pick leave for San Jose. The Senators also got defenseman Julius Bergman and a 2020 sixth-round pick.

The Sharks then dealt Hoffman and a seventh-round pick to the Panthers for second, fourth and fifth-round picks.

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Karlson has a chance to sign a new contract with the Senators starting July 1. He could become an unrestricted free agent during the summer of 2019.

Left winger Evander Kane recently signed a seven-year, $49 million deal with the Sharks.

Shaquille O’Neal offered LeBron James some broad advice this week regarding the rest of his career, now that the Cleveland Cavaliers star is set to become a free agent: don’t pursue more titles.

Shaq On LeBron James Winning NBA Titles

“My problem toward the end of my career was I was trying to shut everybody up and I was greedy [for more championships],” O’Neal told ESPN. “After I got to three [titles], everybody was saying I couldn’t get another. So I got four. After I got the fourth, they were saying I couldn’t get another one. So I was trying to make quick stops to get it. Phoenix, Cleveland, Boston.”

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Over the course of 19 years in the NBA, O’Neal, 46, won three titles with the Los Angels Lakers and one with the Miami Heat. His last championship came with the Heat in 2006, five years before he retired with the Boston Celtics.

James, 33, has made it to eight straight NBA Finals. A three-time NBA champion, he won two national titles with the Heat (2012, 2013) and one with the Cavaliers (2016). This year, Cleveland was swept 4-0 in the NBA Finals by the Golden State Warriors, who have won three championships in the last four years.

A three-time Finals MVP and 14-time All-Star, James has played in the NBA since 2003, when he was drafted out of high school as the first overall pick by the Cavs. He has a player option on his current contract with Cleveland.

Should James decline this player option, he would become an unrestricted free agent, thus teams could start vying for him on July 1. Rumors have been swirling over the possibility of James ending up with the Lakers alongside other major NBA stars like Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. 

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O’Neal emphasized that the King doesn’t need to win any more NBA titles because James has already cemented his legacy as one of the best players in the league.

“Somebody told me a long time ago — they said your book is already set [before the later stages of your career]. You can add index pages toward the end, but your book is already set. So LeBron’s book is already set,” O’Neal said, before going on to say that James shouldn’t worry about competing with Warriors star Steph Curry about who has more rings. (Curry also has three NBA titles)

“He done already passed up legends; he done already made his mark — he has three rings,” O’Neal continued. “His mentality now is probably: I want to get four before Steph does. That’s probably his mentality now. But if I was him, I wouldn’t be trying to get four, five and six because it ain’t going to matter. It’s just something else to talk about, something else to add to the pages. He’s a legend, talked about as who is the best between he and Michael Jordan, so he’s set.”

Every NBA offseason comes with its fair share of huge stories, like trade rumors, the NBA Draft, and, of course, free agency. Year in and year out, we see some of the game’s biggest stars leave their current teams for greener pastures (or fatter wallets). However, it’s not every year that we get to watch the best player in the world decide where he will play next, but that’s exactly what we’ve got heading into the summer of 2018.

LeBron James‘s contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers is finished, and having just been swept by the Golden State Warriors in the Finals, there’s a good chance we’ll see The King in a new uniform come next season. That being the case, here are the five teams most likely to sign LeBron in the coming months.

los angeles lakers

LeBron and the Lakers seem to make perfect sense on a whole bunch of different levels. For one, LA has a solid group of young players including Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma who are still developing and could benefit greatly from the leadership LeBron would provide. The Lakers also seem like favorites to land All-Star forward Paul George, who could play an excellent Robin to LeBron’s Batman. Only adding to LA’s appeal is the fact that Spurs star forward Kawhi Leonard wants out of San Antonio and is eyeing the Lakers as his next destination. If all these pieces come together, the Lakers could become a super team overnight and provide a big challenge to the Warriors for the Western Conference crown. Finally, LeBron already has a great relationship with Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson and owns some businesses in LA, so the Lakers could make an easy case for luring LeBron in this summer.

houston rockets

Unlike the Lakers, the Rockets already have the pieces needed for a super team, with MVP favorite James Harden and future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul currently on their roster. Houston finished the 2017-18 season with the top seed in the NBA and worked the Warriors into a 7 game series in the Western Conference Finals, only to fall just short of the championship round. As of this writing, Houston’s roster gives LeBron the best chance of winning right out of the gate, whereas the Lakers would still need to work on gathering talent around him. However, while Harden and Paul are both exceptional players, it’s tough to see exactly how LeBron could fit into their system. Paul is a legendary playmaker and ball-handler and Harden is as elite a scorer as the NBA has today, but LeBron needs the ball in his hands in order to play up to his fullest potential. It’s a little tough to imagine LeBron and Harden coalesce on the floor without one getting in the way of the other, but the potential for a championship run in Houston is as high as anywhere else.

philadelphia 76ers

Philly has been encouraging LeBron to “Complete the Process” for a few months now, posting billboards all over the city to lure The King in. After years of being terrible, the 76ers are finally the team they’ve been building toward, with young stars Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid appearing to be among the NBA’s elite players for years to come. LeBron joining up with them would place Philly right at the top of the Eastern Conference, and the mentorship he could provide to their young players would be invaluable to their progression. This is especially true in the case of Simmons, as he has a very similar playing style to LeBron’s, although he has yet to develop much of a jump shot. While the move would be amazing for the 76ers, LeBron might not find it as appealing given his desire to win right now. His addition to the roster would make Philly a powerhouse in the East, but they would still struggle mightily against the likes of the Warriors should they make the Finals.

san antonio spurs

If you think about the greatest NBA players of all time, one common denominator among most of them is that they all, at one point or another, played for a great coach. LeBron hasn’t had that luxury, as gone through seven different head coaches over his NBA career, six in Cleveland alone. Obviously LeBron doesn’t need much coaching considering how amazing he has been since the moment he stepped onto an NBA court, but putting him alongside a legendary coach could provide more insight as to how he could be even more dominant. That’s exactly what the Spurs could present to LeBron, as Gregg Popovich is without a doubt one of the greatest basketball minds of all time. A 5-time world champion, Pop has a knack for bringing out the best in all of his players, more so than any other coach of the 21st century. The Spurs have been one of the most successful franchises in sports during Pop’s tenure and LeBron would be the undisputed leader of San Antonio if he became a Spur (especially given the Kawhi Leonard situation), but it’s tough to be sure if that would be enough to warrant a signing.

cleveland cavaliers

It might be a long shot, but there’s a chance that LeBron decides to stay in Cleveland. The city was heartbroken when he left for Miami in 2010, but his return in 2014 breathed new life into everybody in the state of Ohio. When he finally captured a championship in 2016, LeBron solidified his place as the embodiment of Cleveland sports; the savior of a city which hadn’t won a Big 4 sports championship since the Browns won the NFL Championship in 1964. However, since we barely even talk about football championships that took place before the Super Bowl era, you could even say that Cleveland’s last major championship was the Indians’ World Series victory in 1948. LeBron is a hometown hero in Cleveland, and the attachment he has to the city alone could force him to stay put. Nonetheless, if he wants to succeed, he’ll probably have to go elsewhere, meaning that Cleveland could be without their biggest sports icon for good this time.

The Washington Redskins have opted not to use another franchise tag on quarterback Kirk Cousins. 

Kirk Cousins franchise tag news

Cousins could have been used as trade bait if he had been franchise-tagged. The trade deadline was 4pm EST Tuesday.

Doug Williams — the Redskins’ senior vice president of player personnel — stated at last week’s scouting combine that it was improbable the team would franchise-tag Cousins, despite rumors that said this might happen.

Cousins will be worth a third-round compensatory pick in 2019. However, Washington may or may not acquire that, depending on what happens in free agency. Smith signed a four-year deal with Washington.

The possible $34.5 million salary cap hit that would have come with tagging Cousins would have impeded the Redskins from pursuing other free agents.

The four teams that have been floated as the quarterback’s next home are the Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos.

Cousins tweeted Tuesday that he is “open to suggestions” on his next team.

The NFL’s new league year begins March 14, and his agent can discuss contract value with teams during the legal tampering period, which starts two days before that.

Cousins played in the Pro Bowl after the 2016 season.

LANDOVER, MD – OCTOBER 25: Quarterback Kirk Cousins #8 of the Washington Redskins drops back to pass in the second quarter of a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at FedExField on October 25, 2015 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Matt Hazlett/Getty Images)

Greg Monroe and the Phoenix Suns have agreed to a contract buyout, thus clearing the way for the center to become an unrestricted free agent.

Greg Monroe contract with suns news

The Boston Celtics and New Orleans Pelicans both have strong interest in Monroe, and are reportedly near the top of his list. According to CBS Sports, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers could also potentially sign the center.

The Celtics have the advantage of using part of their $8.4 million disabled player exception gained after Gordon Hayward’s ankle injury to sign Monroe, which would grant them the ability to pay him more than teams that could only offer the veteran’s minimum. Hayward also suffered a fractured tibia in Boston’s season opener and was ruled out for the season, his first with the Celtics.

Following the loss of DeMarcus Cousins for the season, Monroe could gain the opportunity to play several minutes for the Pelicans.

The 27-year-old Monroe was earning  $17.8 million in the final year of his contract. He has averaged 11.2 points and eight rebounds in 23 minutes per game with the Suns. He will be placed on waivers Thursday and remain there for 48 hours before becoming a free agent if unclaimed.

Phoenix agreed to the buyout after exhausting trade possibilities for Monroe, who landed with the Suns as part of the Eric Bledsoe deal in November.

Before this trade, Monroe averaged a career-low 6.8 points and five rebounds in limited minutes this season for the Milwaukee Bucks, with whom he has been since 2015.

In his career — which has also included five seasons with the Detroit Pistons — Monroe has averaged 13.9 points and 8.7 rebounds. He was drafted seventh overall by the Pistons out of Georgetown in 2010.

Suns guard Isaiah Canaan sustained a gruesome ankle injury in Wednesday’s 102-88 home victory over the Dallas Mavericks, and could be out for the season. Canaan’s surgery was scheduled for Thursday. Phoenix (18-34, 13th in Western Conference) next hosts Utah on Friday night.

BOSTON, MA – MARCH 29: Greg Monroe #15 of the Milwaukee Bucks defends Amir Johnson #90 of the Boston Celtics during the third quarter at TD Garden on March 29, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts.

San Antonio Spur Dewayne Dedmon has reportedly turned down his team’s player option and will test free agency this off-season, according to The Vertical.

The player option, worth $3 million, would have kept Dedmon in San Antonio through the 2017-2018 basketball season, where his impact has become more and more significant.

Dedmon signed with the Spurs to enter the 2016-2017 campaign with a 2-year $6 million contract and played more, and better, than he had in any of his previous six seasons in the NBA.

The 7’0 foot center filled a much needed void under the basket for the Spurs. Last season, the 27-year-old averaged 17.5 minutes, 5.1 points, and 6.5 rebounds in 76 games, starting a little over half of those games.

Dedmon’s impact was most felt defensively. According to NBA.com’s line-up data, teams scored 5.2 more points when he was off the floor. The big man also averaged around one block per game.

Deadmon will be one of the top available centers in unrestricted free agency this summer. Milwalkee’s Greg Monroe is the top player available at that position but he would likely demand a much larger contract – and one for more years – than Deadmon would likely require.

The former USC Trojan is shaping up to be a hit off-season, according to his former teammate Danny Green.

“He’s always been active, but he’s matured more here, picking and choosing what shots to try to block, picking when to choose to roll to the basket, go for lobs. He’s gotten an opportunity to show what he is capable of doing and he’s taking full advantage of it,” Green told the San Antonio Express-News.

The Spurs went 61-21 during the 2016-2017 season, good enough for a top spot in the playoffs. They were swept the lossless Warriors in the Conference Finals.

The Washington Redskins terminated general manager Scot McCloughan on Thursday, slightly more than two years after hiring him to resuscitate their organization.

Scot McCloughan Fired as Redskins GM after two years

The move follows weeks of speculation regarding his future with the Redskins and reports of issues between him and the team.

McCloughan, 46, was prevented from speaking to the media at the Senior Bowl and missed last week’s NFL Scouting Combine, citing a death in the family as his reason earlier in February.

Redskins president Bruce Allen released the following statement on McCloughan’s firing:

“The Washington Redskins have released Scot McCloughan from the organization effective immediately. We wish him success in his future endeavors. The team will have no further comment on his departure. The organization remains confident in our personnel department as we execute our free agency plans as well as prepare for the upcoming NFL Draft.”

According to the Washington Post, an official with direct knowledge of the situation said McCoughan’s ongoing issues with alcohol may have been the primary reason for the team’s decision. McCloughan’s alcoholic tendencies also caused him to be fired from front-office with the San Francisco 49ers in 2010 and Seattle Seahawks in 2014.

“He’s had multiple relapses due to alcohol,” said the official, who spoke on a condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment on personnel matters. “He showed up in the locker room drunk on multiple occasions. . . . This has been a disaster for 18 months.”

The official added McCloughan has received alcohol treatment since he first joined the Redskins in January 2015, although he hasn’t actively worked for the franchise in weeks. Even before he abruptly left the team’s home stadium late last month, the GM had already been placed in “timeout” due to his inappropriate behavior, according to the official.

Neither McCloughan nor his agent, Peter Schaffer, have commented on the Redskins’ decision. McCloughan’s wife Jessica tweeted late Thursday night: “Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence & making sure that impact lasts in your absence.”

McCloughan has not denied his past problems with alcohol, and even went as far as to admit publicly that he is capable of drinking and performing his job adequately.

The timing of this issue seems terrible for the Redskins, as it came on the first day of NFL free agency, when teams around the league can begin signing veteran players to improve their rosters.

McCloughan’s departure leaves Daniel Snyder searching for what will be the fifth general manager of his 18-year tenure as Redskins owner.

The Redskins went 8-7-1 and finished third in the NFC East in 2016. They have finished a combined 17-14-1 the past two years, with one NFC East title. Before McCloughan’s hiring, Washington had won seven games combined in two seasons.

The team franchise-tagged quarterback Kirk Cousins earlier this offseason after they were unable to work out a long-term deal with him.

The Redskins also signed former Cleveland Browns wide receiver Terrelle Pryor to a one-year, $8 million deal on Friday. Pryor recorded 1,007 yards on 77 catches and four touchdowns with Cleveland last season.

LANDOVER, MD – SEPTEMBER 20: General Manager Scot McCloughan of the Washington Redskins talks on the phone prior to the start of a game against the St. Louis Rams at FedExField on September 20, 2015 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Matt Hazlett/Getty Images)

Jay Cutler’s tenure in Chicago is over.

Bears Releasing Jay Cutler, Set to Sign QB Mike Glennon

The Bears are releasing the veteran quarterback on Thursday— the day the new NFL league year/free agency begins at 4 pm ET— NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per a source informed of the move. The team attempted to trade Cutler, who will be 34 in April, but failed.

Chicago is also set to sign free-agent QB Mike Glennon to a $45 million, three-year deal that includes $19 million guaranteed.

The Bears signed Cutler to a huge seven-year contract in 2014. With no guaranteed money remaining on the deal, Chicago saves $12.28 million on the salary cap, with just $2 million in dead money, by cutting the QB.

Cutler spent eight seasons with the Bears after being drafted as a first-round pick (11th overall) by the Denver Broncos out of Vanderbilt in 2006. He played two seasons in Denver.

In 2016, Cutler played just five games due to injury. The QB played under several different offensive coordinators during his time in Chicago.

The New York Jets, who are desperate for a quarterback, have been cited as a potential new destination for Cutler, who is known for taking costly sacks.

Glennon attempted just 11 passes last season as Jameis Winston’s backup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and did not play a single game in 2015.

The former third-round pick out of NC State started 18 games in his first two seasons, however, and posted a 5-13 record.

As a rookie in 2013, Glennon threw for 2,608 yards, 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 13 starts.

Some, like Detroit Lions QB Dan Orlovsky, seem to believe Glennon will do well as a starter:

Others, like AM1340 and 104.7 FM host Benjamin Allbright, believe the move is completely nonsensical:

We’ll see soon where exactly Cutler ends up.

CHICAGO, IL – OCTOBER 31: Jay Cutler #6 of the Chicago Bears throws a pass during the first half against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on October 31, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Brandon Marshall is changing teams but not home stadiums.

Ex-Jet Brandon Marshall Signs Two-Year Deal With Giants

The former Jets wide receiver, who will be 33 later this month, and the New York Giants have reached an agreement on a two-year deal in a surprising move during the early free agency period.

The story was first reported by Newsday’s Kimberley A. Martin. 

According to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, the deal is worth $12 million. Marshall was scheduled to earn $7.5 million with the Jets this year before his release last week.

Marshall, who was drafted by the Denver Broncos as a fourth-round pick out of UCF in 2006, tweeted a picture of his signed contract Wednesday morning:

With the deal, the Giants get a premier wideout with much durability remaining at a great market value.

The Giants will likely pair Marshall, a six-time Pro Bowler, with star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and fellow wideout Sterling Shepard, who impressed last season, his rookie campaign.

Marshall’s noteworthy strength should also help quarterback Eli Manning, who has historically had inconsistent passing performances.

The Giants were desperately seeking a wide receiver following the release of the injury-riddled Victor Cruz early in the offseason. The team also cut veteran running back Rashad Jennings the same day as Cruz, and franchise-tagged defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul this offseason to keep their strong defensive line intact.

Marshall, who played one season for the Jets after being traded from the Chicago Bears in 2015, was voted team MVP by the Jets that year as he set the franchise record for catches (109) and receiving yards (1,502) in a season. He also tied for the league lead with 14 receiving touchdowns. After that, Marshall suffered one of his worst seasons in 2016, managing only 59 catches, 788 yards and three touchdowns.

Undermined, in part, by poor quarterback play, his catch percentage (receptions/targets) was only 46.7 percent, 143rd among 144 qualifying players. Marshall also played for the Miami Dolphins.

Marshall has eight 1,000-yard seasons and his 25 receiving touchdowns since 2014 are among the most in the NFL. The only other time the Giants had two 1,000-yard receivers on the same squad— Hakeem Nicks and Cruz back in 2011— they won the Super Bowl.

The new league year begins Thursday (March 9).

CLEVELAND, OH – OCTOBER 30: Brandon Marshall #15 of the New York Jets runs with the ball while playing the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 30, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)